What's Cooking? aka Door-to-Door Organics New "Kitchen"

Eggplant and Artichoke Galettes

For many of us, the downside to having fruits and veggies delivered is figuring out what to do with them. Sure you can eat them raw, throw them in salads, but if culinary creativity isn't your strong suit, the fun ends there. Wisely, Door-to-Door Organics created their new "Kitchen" feature to help us out.

When I received a late summer Local Box of veggies I wasn't sure what to do. In all honesty, there wasn't a lot in there I would normally buy. I don't really eat squash and such but that is what we grow locally  so that's what I got. Then I remembered the recipe finder feature. I had submitted my own recipe not too long ago so I figured I would find something there.

The beauty of the Kitchen recipe finder is it allows you to search for recipes in various ways. It makes recommendations based on your current delivery or a submitted  list of items in your pantry or you can search by ingredient, meal or special diet needs. Even better, since the recipes are compiled by Door-to-Door Organics subscribers you know they're prepared in "real homes" not test kitchens. There is also the opportunity to rate the recipes.

I have grown to love this feature and use the Kitchen recipe finder even when I am not using my delivery items. If you've ever thought "I'd like to get my fruits and veggies delivered but what would I do with them?" well now is the time to find out. Still not sure? Enter the Coupon Code "CupcakeMafia" and save 40% off your first Bitty Box!

Power Scones

I originally posted this recipe back in 2009 but I thought it could use another mention. I am training for the Oyster Race and trying to cut back on the cupcakes so these delicious treats  satisfy my craving for baked goods while being kinder to my calorie and nutrition goals.

The scones are still delicious but lower in fat and you can make them in smaller portion sizes than a standard scone. They're great for a quick bite before hitting the trail.

Ingredients
1 2/3C  all-purpose flour
3/4C  rolled old-fashioned oats
1/3C   sugar
1/3C  whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp  baking powder
1/2 tsp  baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp  butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1/3 C  lowfat buttermilk
2 lg  eggs
1 tsp  vanilla extract
additional buttermilk for glazing
4 tsp  brown sugar mixed with 1/2tsp ground cinamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Pulse dry ingredients in a blender until the oats are finely ground (I tend to throw in an additional teaspoon of cinnamon in the batter, it gives a little more flavor). Transfer to a large bowl. Rub in butter until the mixture forms a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture. Using a fork, toss until a moist dough just forms. Turn out onto a floured sugace and pat into a 7in circle. Cut into 8 wedges and arrange 1/2in apart on baking sheet.

Glaze scones by brushing lightly with buttermilk. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 18min, until scones puff and are pale golden.

The "Heart Healthy" Winner!!!

Well I have to say, I was fairly surprised by this contest. The entries were very few but the feedback was plentiful. I heard a lot on my Twitter stream and through emails that many of you are  currently subscribed to Door-to-Door Organics (or you live outside the delivery zone). I am delighted to hear that so many people are eating excellent organic produce!

The contest winner, David R., will be receiving a complimentary Bitty Box from Door-to-Door Organics. While David didn't submit a recipe I loved his response. It's very much in line with my own eating philosphy.

While there are a lot of great heart healthy recipes out there I personally want my organics to achieve their full nutritional potential, which means having them raw and having them within reach at all times.  Not to say I don't appreciate cooking, I just love the taste of crisp, fresh organic produce and build my meals around that on a daily basis.  

In addition, one generous ready, Peter West Carey, was outside of the delivery zone, but suggested if he win I give his prize to someone deserving. Check out his recipe here.

Oven Roasted Portobellas with Potatoes, Onions and Squash

Ingredients:
Portobello Mushrooms
Red Potatoes
White Onions
Italian Squash
Several cloves Fresh Garlic
1-2 teaspoons Mustard Powder
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup (or to taste) Balsamic or Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons honey

Directions: Chop potatoes, squash and onions into similarly sized pieces. Mix together in oven safe cookware. (Note: If you have a quicker cooking squash, you may want to reserve it and add midway through the cooking process.) Slice the mushrooms into generously thick portions and spread over the top of the other veggies. In a bowl or liquid measure, whisk together the garlic, spices, salt and pepper, oil, vinegar and honey. Drizzle over the top of the vegetables.
Roast in 350-375 degree (F) oven for about an hour or until veggies are tender, stirring once or twice to make sure the vegetables are evenly coated.
This one tastes prettier than it looks.

You Gotta Have Heart

February is American Heart Month in order to bring awareness and prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke. Combined these are our nation's number one killer but there is a lot you can do to maintain your health and lower your risk. The American Heart Association has a lot of great tips to keep heart healthy. One of these key items is to stick with a healthy diet including 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day.

One way to make sure you always have plenty of fruits and veggies on hand is to subscribe to Door-to-Door Organics. This company will deliver fresh fruits and/or vegetable right to your doorstep or work location. Having fruits and veggies available makes it much more likely that you'll choose them to snack on or cook with. Also, developing a base of good heart-healthy recipes will ensure you always have a healthy option for meals. To help jump start some heart healthy eating I am having a contest. Submit your best Heart Healthy recipe by this Friday, February 11 at 11:59 pm MT and you will have the opportunity to win a free bitty Box from Door-to-Door Organics! Not sure what qualifies as a "Heart Healthy" recipe? Check out the AHA website for tips.

Please email entries (with pictures if available) to thecupcake@mycupcakemafia.com. Voting will be held from Saturday- Monday, with the winner being announced on Tuesday, February 15. You must live int he DTDO delivery area to qualify for the prize.

If you don't have a recipe to submit but are in the DTDO delivery area and want to try it out you can sign up and enter "cupcakemaifa" as a promotional code to save 40% off your first Bitty box!

Already receiving a Door to Door Organics delivery? Current customers can add Valentine’s Day goodies to their order, including items from local Colorado companies Beautiful Sweets Organic Bakery and Seth Ellis Chocolatier. Door To Door Organics will donate 10% of the proceeds from the purchase of these special Valentine’s Day items to the American Heart Association.  Orders must be submitted by February 13.

Chai Granola Recipe



Last week in the midst of gift giving I wanted to make something homemade and delicious but honestly was tired of the recipes I have used over the last few years. Then it hit me, most people like granola and most people I know love chai so why not combine them. I noticed there were a few recipes online but none really did it for me, so I made my own. This makes a very large batch so you may want to half the ingredients.

4 Cups Whole Oats

3/4 Cup Raw Shelled Sunflower Seeds

3/4 Cup Raw Shelled Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup Flax Seed

2 TBSP Ground Cinnamon

2 TBSP Ground Nutmeg

2 TBSP Ground Cardamom

3/4-1 Cup Maple Syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together oats and seeds in a large bowl. Mix together spices in a smaller bowl. Combine oats, seeds, and spices. Once the mixture is thoroughly blended add in Maple Syrup, to taste.

Spread mixture evenly onto parchment lined baking sheets. It took three baking sheets for my large batch. Bake until golden brown, approximately 20-30 minutes depending on the oven and how well you like your granola toasted. To vary the granola you may want to add dried fruit (apples or bananas would be good).

I presented mine in cellophane gift bags and canning jars. The granola is great in yogurt, on ice cream, or with milk. Enjoy!

Bountiful: Part 2 Purple Potato Chips

As a follow up to my post about local foods earlier this week I want to share another creation from my Door-to-Door Organics delivery.  Last week I received four purple potatoes. In a sense a potato is a potato, I probably could have used them in any recipe that calls for potatoes. I decided to try something new (at least new to me). I wanted a snack that could be good for the work day or a snow shoeing adventure.

After looking online and getting the basic idea for cooking times for baked potato chips I went to the spice cabinet and this is what I came up with. The chips can be a little spicy so if you like a mild chip use less Cayenne.

Ingredients
4 Medium Purple Potatoes
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper
1 Garlic Cloved Finely Minced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Thinly slice the potatos, try to cut uniform slices. Set aside. In a large bowl combine olive oil, spices, and garlic. Add potatoes and toss to coat. I recommend using your hands (after washed of course) to make sure each slice is coated.

Lay slices evenly across two baking sheets. When laying out on the sheet make sure to keep thicker slices on one sheet and the thinner slices on the other, this will make it easier to gauge when they're done and remove a whole sheet at a time.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes until crisp on the under side. Flip and cook another 8-15 minutes. Remove from oven. You can either enjoy once they've cooled a bit for fresh warm chips or place in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Bountiful: Finding Pleasure in Local Foods

November naturally brings to mind Thanksgiving (if you live in the US). I know a lot of people first visualize a turkey when they think of Thanksgiving, I on the other hand picture a Cornucopia. I remember numerous coloring pages and craft projects that featured a Cornucopia as a child. They were always a bounty of beautiful colors found in so many fruits and vegetables. I was always a bit in awe at the idea of so many fruits and vegetables and that is exactly how I feel when I open my delivery from Door-to-Door Organics.



A sample of one delivery

If you live in Colorado, Kansas City, Chicago, Michigan, or certain areas on the East Coast you may already be familiar with Door-to-Door Organics (also known as Suburban Organics. This organization is similar to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in the sense you're buying produce from local farmers therefore eating local and minimizing the impact to the environment that comes with long-distance imports. However with many CSAs you buy your share and you get your box, not knowing what you'll get. With Door-to-Door Organics you get to choose the size of your box and whether you want it delivered weekly or every other week. You also can substitute items. As a terribly picky eater I love this. At the same time I rarely substitute items just because I don't know what they are or don't like them.

One of the great features of a delivery from Door-to-Door Organics or any CSA is it gives you a chance to break up your routine. For example, last week I got a Persimmon in my box. I had no clue what a Persimmon tasted like let alone how to eat it. I ended up researching recipes online and found a recipe for Persimmon Bread via Sunflower Market. Since they had Persimmons on sale I picked up two more needed for the recipe and gave it a try. It is delicious!  The best part is that is my usual response to cooking with something new from my delivery.


If you're not in Door-to-Door Organics delivery area, want to look at options for work trade shares of a CSA, or just want to learn more about eating local check out Local Harvest! They're a wealth of information.

Recipe Review: Pumpkin Chai Cookies

Photo Courtesy of Patty Van Dorin

I have been trying to come up with the perfect cookie to send to loved ones during late summer time but nothing really stood out. Then when I got the craving for Pumpkin Chai Coffee Cake I thought, mmmm....pumpkin chai cookies! Luckily I googled rather than trying to create my own from scratch and found the perfect recipe.

Oddly enough, the original recipe called for a regular sweet glaze however the author, Patty Van Dorin, ran out of milk and didn't feel like going to the grocery store and substituted chai.

This recipe bakes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies that are soft and almost like a scone in consistency without being dry. The cookie itself is not very sweet and the glaze adds a kick while complimenting the autumn flavors in the cookie. Enjoy!


Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Glaze 

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• Approximately 2 tablespoons strong chai (I used concentrate)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, chai, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add chai as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Recipe Review: Red Wine "Beef" Stew

If you know me you know I don't eat meat and I don't imbibe alcohol so this recipe review may seem an unusual choice for me. However after talking with a friend who recently changed to a plant-based vegan diet I became aware of how much lousy vegan food there is out there. What I mean by lousy is over-processed and filled with sugar (see PETA's Accidentally Vegan list). I realized if I want to eat better it's not just about cutting out animals and alcohol but also about sticking to the basics. We all know whole grains are better and that eating mostly plants will help us avoid fats and sugars.

However, sometimes I get bored with the food I know is safe. So this week I pulled The "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" book off the shelf and picked out a few recipes to add to the mix this week. What I like about the Skinny Bitch girls, Rory Freedman and Kim Barouin, is they have a lot of recipes that are familiar for former meat eaters.

I really love the way this "beef" stew turned out. I made a few changes but that's why I love cooking my own meals. You can improvise and make the recipe your own. You can find the recipe here and for the record here are my changes:

• Substituted a non-alcohol cabernet sauvignon


• Skipped the onion because I don't like the texture


• Skipped the peas beacause I forgot to buy them


• Cut the recipe in half which worked very well but the cooking times stay the same


• In addition to the rosemary used to coat the "beef" strips I took a whole sprig and added it to the stockpot for the first 15 minutes then pulled it out. Great flavor!!!

Recipe Review: Power Scones

I love scones but they tend to be high in fat. When I discovered this recipe years ago in Shape Magazine I was delighted. The scones are still delicious but lower in fat and you can make them in smaller portion sizes than a standard scone. I like these particularly around the busy holiday times. They're great for a light breakfast with the family, as a gift, or to grab on the go.

Ingredients
1 2/3c all-purpose flour
3/4c rolled old-fashioned oats
1/3c sugar
1/3c whole wheat pastry flour
2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
6tbsp butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1/3c lowfat buttermilk
2lg eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
additional buttermilk for glazing
4tsp brown sugar mixed with 1/2tsp ground cinamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Pulse dry ingredients in a blender until the oats are finely ground (I tend to throw in an additional teaspoon of cinnamon in the batter, it gives a little more flavor). Transfer to a large bowl. Rub in butter until the mixture forms a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture. Using a fork, toss until a moist dough just forms. Turn out onto a floured sugace and pat into a 7in circle. Cut into 8 wedges and arrange 1/2in apart on baking sheet.

Glaze scones by brushing lightly with buttermilk. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 18min, until scones puff and are pale golden.

Mindful Giving: Homemade Holiday Treats for Dogs

A few times a year I make my little guy some homemade dog treats. He loves them so that's huge incentive. I also love baking but this way I don't get stuck with dozens of cupcakes or cookies. In the past I have given the treats to my friends and family with dogs and they're always well received and appreciated. Whether put in simple container with a bow or a fancy dish they always make a good impression. I've been using this recipe for about ten years now and received it from a family member, so I can't cite the original source.

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, cornmeal and salt. Mix in the oil, egg and water to make a soft dough that is not too sticky. You may add more flour if needed. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. (or you can roll dough out and use a cookie cutter).

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until nicely browned and firm. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper, Corn, and Black Bean Salad

It's that time of year when we're running around like mad getting ready for holidays and sometimes eating healthy goes out the window. My awesome friend Momanine sent over this tasty recipe perfect for potlucks, parties, or just every day meals.

"Here’s a little taste of the harvest, vegan style. Take it with you to holiday parties; make it for dinner or to put over salads. It’s easy to make, healthy and most of all delicious! " ~Momanine

1/4 Cup Fresh basil leaves
2- 15 oz Cans Black beans, cooked, without salt or 2, 15 oz cans
1 - 15 oz Can Sweet corn, whole kernels
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Cup Canned or Jarred Roasted red peppers
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Dice the roasted red pepper. Add it to a serving bowl along with the black beans, corn, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Let the vinegar sink in for a few minutes if you have the time then add the olive oil and salt to taste. Feel free to add as much fresh basil as you like.

Recipe: Pumpkin Chai Coffee Cake

After making Hungry Girl's delicious Caramel Pudding Pumpkin Cupcakes I was feeling a bit like Betty Crocker. I had a bunch of leftover ingredients but not everything I would need for another batch of cupcakes so I improvised and came up with this Pumpkin Chai Coffee Cake. I baked mine in a 9 x9 baking pan but I imagine it would bake nicely in a loaf pan as well. This recipe can easily be made vegan with the right product choices.

Ingredients
2 cups moist-style yellow cake mix
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
3/4 cup Chai Concentrate
2 teaspoons cinnamon plus 1 tablespoon for topping
1 tablespoon of brown sugar for topping (more or less based on your own preference)
Non-stick Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray Baking 9 x 9 baking pan with Non-stick Cooking Spray and set aside.

Combine all ingredients and blend thoroughly, making sure to remove all lumps. Pour batter into pan. Combine 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon brown sugar for topping. Lightly sift topping over batter.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Use the toothpick method to determine if thoroughly cooked. Can be served warm or cooled.

Recipe Review: Vegan Pumpkin Scones

I have recently embarked on a quest to eat vegan eighty percent of the time which has helped me to look outside my normal recipes and try new things. I was looking for new breakfast option and came across Pumpkin French Toast at the Post Punk Kitchen Blog. While I am sad to say I wasn't able to try the recipe yet it did get me thinking I love pumpkin and would love to incorporate it in an portable breakfast item. Then it hit me, I love the Pumpkins Scones at Starbucks, maybe there is a vegan option.

I was lucky to find the Two Vegan Sisters Blog filled with mouth-watering recipes that I can't wait to try. One of the sisters happened to make a coffee-house style Pumpkin Scone and I baked a batch up. The original recipe can be found here, complete with a glaze and icing drizzle recipe. I made a few modifications to the spices and the liquids and left out the icing to make the caloric intake a little lower. The scones are delicious (even without the glaze) and go great with coffee in the morning.

4 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup Earth Balance margarine
1 cup pumpkin purée
3/4 cup soy creamer

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt. Use a pastry blender to add in Earth Balance until thoroughly mixed. In another large bowl, whisk together pumpkin and soy creamer.

Add combined dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. Mix, then form into 2 balls of dough. Pat out one ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 10-inch circle. Use pizza wheel to cut dough into six wedges. Transfer wedges to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with second ball of dough.

Bake until golden for 15 minutes. Transfer baked scones to a wire rack to cool, with parchment or wax paper underneath to catch drips.

Makes 12 scones.

Quick and Healthy Breakfast Cookies

For awhile I was eating Quaker Oatmeal Squares. They seemed like a good quick way to eat breakfast, then I read the nutrition information and the calories and sugars just weren’t worth it. So I thought about the flavors I liked and also the goal to make my breakfast vegan (while not a vegan I prefer to start my day with vegan meals) and found many recipes for Breakfast Cookies. I found two recipes that were a close fit and altered them to fit my tastes. I love the both recipes and find them ideal for breakfast on the go or a snack.

The first recipe I found at Mr. Breakfast.com, the original version can be found here. These are a bit crisp on the outside while a little chewy on the inside.

Vegan Oat Cookies

3 cups oats
2 large bananas
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 tsp salt or to taste
3/4 cup dates (pitted)
2/3 cup almond slivers
2/3 cup dried cranberries

1. Mix oats and salt. Add olive oil and mix well.
2. In a blender, mix bananas and dates until well blended and smooth.
3. Add banana mixture to the oats and blend well. Add nuts and dried cranberries. Let stand for half an hour.
4. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Pat mixture into the bottom of each cup, only filling about 1/3-1/2 way (or use cookie cutters on a cookie sheet to get shapes like the heart in the picture).
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12-15 min.


The next original recipe was found at Eat, Drink, and Be Aware. A great blog from a fitness minded foodie. Again I made a few modifications and was pleased with the results. Compared to the Vegan Oat Cookies these are a little more traditional in cookie consistency.


Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Cookies

2 large banana pureed in blender
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened)
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup flax seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, agave nectar, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried fruit and seeds.

I dropped dollops from a serving spoon onto the cookie sheet to make 10 large cookies, size is a matter of preference but will affect baking time. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned.

Garbanzo Beans! They're not just for hummus!

I hadn't planned on posting anything today but after a great bike ride and relatively productive day I was ready for a snack. I made one of my favorite savory, crunchy treats this weekend and they hit the spot. So here it is an easy to make treat that has the satisfaction of crunchy chips or pretzels without the fat.

Baked Garbanzo Beans (aka Chickpeas)

2 - 15 oz. Cans of Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas, drain well
2-4 Tbsp. of your favorite seasoning. I use Spike seasoning blend but have also used Cajun seasoning or garlic salt and crushed red pepper.

Preheat oven at 450 degrees. Drain the beans as much as possible, I put them in a strainer. Spread beans on a baking sheet and coat with seasoning to your own taste preference. Total bake time will be 45-60 minutes until nice and crunchy. It's best to stir them around every 15 minutes or so for even baking. Store in an airtight container.

Energy Bite Revamp

A little while ago I posted my Energy Bites recipe. I love them but I will be honest they're too sweet at times. Sometimes they're exactly what I want but for those not so sweet moments I wanted to branch out.

My dear friend Anna, from Homespun Oasis, set the tone with her variation on the recipe:

I used 1 c. honey
1/2 c. Agave Nectar
3/4 c. Almond Butter
1 c. dehydrated cranberries
3/4 cup carob chips
2 c. vanilla-almond granola
1/2 c. sunflower seas
1/2 c. pine nuts

I followed the directions on the original recipe and combined all of my wet ingredients over low heat until they were runny and added the almond butter. After the almond butter was fully integrated, I added all of my dry ingredients, being sure to save the carob chips for last (because they melt, and I like some bites to be very carobby and some to be very almondy.) - anna holler

Then I got back into the kitchen and made two more variations. The base was the same for both batches

1/2 c. agave nectar
3/4 c. Almond Butter
3/4 c Sorghum Flour (gluten free alternative available at Whole Foods or other such shop.

Combine agave nectar and nut butter in sauce pan on medium low heat and then stir in Sorghum Flour.

For the first batch I combined craisins, raw pumpkin seeds, raw sunflower seeds and rolled oats for a total of 1 1/2 c.

For the second batch I wanted a salty and sweet affect so I used 1 and 1/2 c. of crushed pretzels.

All in all I am really impressed with how this recipe has developed. If you have a chance to make it and make mouth watering changes of your own let me know or share them in the comments section.

Nesting and Nourishment

When I fell asleep last night I had the intention of rising early and heading to Echo Lake for a hike. However upon waking at 6:30 am I was feeling super stuffed up and also had the need to nest. I am not sure where the need came from but I felt like cleaning and getting my crafty/desk area organized as well as my climbing and hiking gear sorted out.

So this morning I have been moving at a snail's pace but have managed to get the laundry done, the desk cleaned up and enjoyed a wonderful Cinnamon Scone from Whole Foods. While digging in my pantry I found the raw sunflower seeds I purchased a few days ago and decided it was time to make a small batch of Energy Bites.

I can't recall where I learned this recipe but have been making them for a few years now. I will be the first to admit, they're not that pretty. However they're all natural, delicious, and pack a lot of energy in a little package. I like to freeze them and then bring them on hikes or to the climbing gym for a snack.

So here it goes, simplest recipe ever! What you need:

1 Cup Honey
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Carob Powder
1 Cup Seeds (I vary it and tend to use a combination of Sesame, Pumpkin, Sunflower and Flax)

Pour the honey in a medium size sauce pan and heat on low to medium heat. When honey is liquidy add the peanut butter. When the two have melted well together add the Carob Powder. When it is dissolved add in the nuts.

After all the ingredients are well mixed transfer to a baking pan. Depending on how big you want your bites you can use a loaf pan or an 8" x 8" pan. Place in refrigerator at least one hour to set-up. I then cut them up into squares, place a few in a baggie, and throw them in the freezer. They last about a week in the refrigerator or a month (or more) in the freezer. Enjoy!

The Periodic Table Of Yumminess

As you may have guessed, I love cupcakes. So this morning when I came across Woman's Day Periodic Table of Cupcakes via the Presurfer I was intrigued. On this table you will find recipes for cupcakes grouped in five categories: basics, fruit, nature, holiday, and kids favorites.

I definitely find the list worthy of a little baking experimentation. I think I may try the Blushing Grapefruit or Caramel Apple soon. I wish that there were more pictures to accompany the recipes however they all sound delicious so I can't complain too much, right?